Automatic sander for locomotives and the like



R. 0. DREISBACH. AUTOMATIC SANDER FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, I920.

1 360,627, Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

R. D. DREISBACH.

AUTOMATIC SANDER FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. I920.

Patented N 0v. 30, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES ROBERT D. DREISBACH,

or .ntnnnrrown,

PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC SANDER FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND THE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

Application filed May26, 1920. Serial No. 384,308.

To all '21; 7mm it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT D. DREISBAGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allentown, in the county of Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Sanders for Locomotives and the like, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic sanders for locomotives and the like, and has for its object to provide an exceedingly simple and effective device of this description by which sand will be automatically drawn from the ordinary sand box and delivered to the rails in an even and uniforn'rmanner, compressed air being used for the operation thereof,

and

A further object of my invention is to utilize the air after it has passed through the motor for facilitating the flow ofthe sand through its passage ways to the rails.

ith these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may under stand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which i Figure 1 is a plan view of my device connected with a locomotive sand box, said box being partly broken away to show the location of the manually operated outlet valves therein.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of approximately one half of the sand box showing my improvement applied thereto, a portion of the latter being broken away and sectioned to show the relative position of the parts.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. 2 partly broken away and sectioned.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, 1 represents a sand box, which may be of any suitable design, here shown in the form usually used upon locomotives, and within this box are located the valves 2, which are secured upon the arms 3, said arms being beneath and in the center of the box at l. These valves slide over the openings 5- in the bottom ofthe sand box, each opening leading to a tubular casing 6, one of said casings being here shown. This casing has locatedjtherein a Wire brush or helicoid metal screw 7, which is secured spirally around the shaft 8 after the manner of a conveyer worm, so that when this brush is revolving in the proper direction, the sand entering the casing through the opening 5 will be conveyed forward in the direction of the arrow, and at the same time any lumps therein will be broken up and separated, so that it will reach the spout 0 in the proper form to be delivered to the rails.

This spout 9 leading from the casing 6 terminates in a threaded coupling 10, having connection with a suitable pipe or hose for conveying the sand to the point of delivery to the rails. V

Uponthe outer end of the shaft 8 is secured a worm gear 11, which 'is inclosed in a housing 12, and connected with this worm gear there is a worm 13 carried by the shaft, 1st, journaled in an offset of said housing, and upon the outer end of this shaft 14 is secured a turbine motor wheel 10, inclosed in the casing 16, and this motor wheel is provided with plates so constructed as to be propelled by the admission of air under pressure through the nozzle holes 17, set at an angle, as clearlyshown in Fig. 8, and these nozzle holes a'reconnected to the main reservoir of the locomotive through the pipe or hose 18.

19 represents an exhaust pipe leading from the casing 16 of the turbine to the spout 9 s0 that after the compressed air has been utilized in driving the turbine and has exhausted into said spout, it will tend to blow the sand downward through said spout, accelerating the movement thereof, and fluff ing it into better condition for application to the rails.

In order that the sand being conveyed through the casing 6 may not reach the turbine I place a felt washer 20 around the shaft 8 closing the opening between the 0215- ing 6 and the housing 12 and in turn a metal washer 21 is placed against this felt washer, thus, holding the latter in place and making a sand tight joint both around the shaft 8 and between the housing 6 and the housing 12. A spring 21 is so set within the h0using as to lock the metal washer 21 in proper position against the felt Washer.

The shaft 8 is journaled in a suitable block 22 at one end, and in the housing 12 at 23. In order that the driver of the locomotive may have control over the valves 2, I have provided an extension 24;, which projects from the side of the sand box, and crosses the slide plates 25 and 26 for preventing the outflow of sand from the slide into this extension, and to this extension is pivoted at 27 a rod 28, which rod extends to the cab of the locomotive, and terminates in any suitable manner for easy manipulation by the engine driver. This permits the opening of the valves to a greater or less de gree, and puts within the control of the en gine driver the flow of the sand from the box to the conveyer, and also provides for the clearing of gravel or other obstructions which may be in the sand, and which would otherwise clog the flow, which is readily closed by the opening of the valves, to their extreme limit.

In practice I prefer that the housing 12 shall be made in two parts, one threaded upon the other, so as to facilitate the assem bling of the device.

\Vhen my improved sander is to be used upon trolley or other electric cars, a small electric motor may be substituted. for the air turbine, which will effect all the operations in the same manner as before described.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown, as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is- 1. In a sander of the character described, a sand box having an opening in the bottom thereof, a casing located beneath the sand box, a manually operated valve for controlling the outflow through said opening, a

' housing in such manner as to lock said washers in place.

2. In combination with a sand box having an opening through the bottom thereof, a manually operated valve for the regulating of the flow of sand from the box, a casing located beneath the said opening, a wire brush eonveyer fitted to revolve within the casing, a worm wheel for revolving i aid conveyer, an air turbine for revolving the worm wheel, a spout leading from the conveyer casing, and an exhaust leading from the turbine to said spout.

3. The herein-described combination of a sand box, a casing located beneath said box, means for delivering sand from the box to the casing, a wire brush conveyor fitted to revolve within said casing, a shaft carrying said conveyor, a worm gear secured upon said shaft, a worm meshing with said gear, a shaft upon which said worm is secured, an

air turbine for revolving the last named shaft, a nozzle having a series of inclined holes therein for conducting the air to the turbine, a spout leading from the conveyer ca sing, and an exhaust loading from the turbine to said spout.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aiiixed my signature.

ROBERT D. DREISBACH. 

